“We opened the business during the worst time of year in a recession,” Cram said, “but here we are two years later, and I really want to thank the community for supporting us.”

To celebrate the special date, Cram and Seavy are hosting a customer appreciation day Thursday, April 21, and offering a 20-percent discount on all menu items the entire day.

With the anniversary come a few changes to the restaurant. Effective last week, the menu expanded from four to six pages, adding a variety of sandwiches and burgers as well as specialty items such as veal, steaks and pork.

“We’ve always been spaghetti and meatballs,” Cram said. “Now, we’re taking it to the next level.”

In addition to serving its famous gourmet pizza, the Islander also has a full bar and an arcade on site and is licensed for full-service off-site catering, including alcohol.

Last year, the restaurant added 800 square feet of outside dining landscaped with wildflowers and other beautiful plants. Come June, Cram will start barbecuing on the patio every Saturday.

Other special events include wine tastings the third Wednesday of every month, barstool bingo on Tuesdays, Lions Club meetings the second and fourth Thursdays each month, a pancake breakfast May 14, a patio beer and wine garden during the Irrigation Festival parade (reservations necessary!), an annual summer bike run, an all-you-can-eat crab festival Aug. 27 and a chili cook-off in October.

“We try to have different events going on all the time,” Cram said. “For us, it’s all about giving back to the community; we firmly believe that what comes around goes around.”

For more information, go online to www.islanderpizza.com or call 683-9999.

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